Fitting Bench Peg

[leemorris]

Hi
I want to make a new bench with the half circle cut out, How do the bench pegs fit into the top or is it easier to get an clamp anvil.

thanks
Lee

[Dennis]

Hi Lee,
Bench pegs are traditionally cut down so that they will push into a rectangular hole in the edge of the bench. If the fit is good one screw will secure them. If like me you are woodwork challenged, you can cut a generous step in the under surface of the bench peg and secure it with two screws, so that it ends up slightly higher than your work top.
As you know there are clamp-on versions which can in theory be removed if you want more space, but with time the thread on the clamp tends to seize up. Also they are quite narrow and sloping, which is OK for filing, but for piercing you need something flatter.
Kind regards, Dennis.

[Joe]

For me, being able to quickly swap the peg over (slope side for flat side) between operations is important. If you make the mortise nice and tight, you can just push it in by hand with no screws. For me, I manage ok with the clamp-in kind.

One day I'll make myself one with the top of the mortise as a thick brass plate, as in some of the old-fashioned benches (that come up for sale nearly never!).

[Goldsmith]

Hi Lee,
I made my own bench many years ago, I made the top face of my bench by adding a sheet of plywood and where the bench pin was fitted I just used a piercing saw and cut out the slot that takes the bench peg, then I screwed the plywood onto my bench and finally screwed a brass plate over the slot that I had cut out for the bench pin.
Here are some photos that show my bench pin area, the bench is now thirty years old.
Good luck James
James Miller FIPG.

[leemorris]

Thanks
I will post some pictures when it's finished
Lee

[leemorris]

Just thought i would post these images of the bench i made today, maybe with 18mm mdf top and 45mm planed timber.
Made lots of storage holes just need some tools to fill them.
I haven't fitted the peg yet i can't make my mind up about using an anvil ot fitting into bench top.
Lee

[leemorris]

The YCB arm is my sons digger he was helping with the work.

[Joe]

Tidy job! But it'll soon be inches thick in tools!

I'm glad you told us about the JCB - I was beginning to think it was some sort of unusual prosthesis!

[Goldsmith]

Neat work Lee, you might find it useful to fit a small Vise one side of your bench, if you are right handed fit it on the left where those files are stored. If you wanted to fit a standard bench peg,then you could fit another top layer to your bench like I did, with a cut out for the bench peg and a brass plate on top.
Then it's time to start creating.
Good luck, James

[leemorris]

Joe
Maybe not inches thick in tools but it is already covered in bits and bobs looks like i've been working on it for ages, its supposed to keep by bits together but i've already lost a set of tiny drill bits somewhere.
Lee